


Better

by tiny_maus_boots



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-27 07:13:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20756411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiny_maus_boots/pseuds/tiny_maus_boots
Summary: "For your Fic Request: Everyone sees Chloe as a happy person, but like everyone she has bad days. Beca has seen it on occasion and is (insert adjective here) by seeing Chloe's mood improve by doing random acts of kindness."





	Better

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kimmania](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimmania/gifts).

> As per your request…I know it’s short but I hope it’s still enjoyable. Happy birthday dude.

Chloe sighed and rubbed her face with her hands, letting them drop in defeat onto the open book resting on the table. The letters all wiggled and blurred and she knew she was just too tired and too annoyed to really concentrate. “Okay Beale…pull it together. You had a bad day that doesn’t mean you just stop doing what needs to be done.” The little part of her that was all Aubrey gave a nod of approval at her pep talk even as she groaned and flipped the page back one to start again.

It was at least the third time she’d tried to read the chapter and still nothing had sunken in beyond the section title of Concepts and Applications in Veterinary Toxicology. Chloe took a large centering breath and closed her eyes for a moment before opening them and focusing on the first line of the chapter. The sound of all four deadbolts turning one after the other made her look over her shoulder grateful for the distraction.

Beca opened the door as she was pulling her earbuds out and paused in surprise when she saw Chloe sitting at the table. “Hey…I thought you had a class tonight. Is my schedule off?”

She shook her head and stretched. “No I decided not to go.”

The brunette made a soft hmm sound and closed the door behind her careful to throw all the bolts. They weren’t in the worst neighborhood but one break in the first week they lived there was enough for Beca to always be extra cautious. Chloe watched as Beca set her bag down on the bed and kicked off her shoes.

“That’s not like you…everything okay?”

That was the question wasn’t it? She definitely didn’t feel okay but it wasn’t like she had a soul crushing day. She just…felt down. And tired. Chloe shrugged and turned back to her book feeling a little bit like a big whiney baby. “Yeah, sure. Just a little under the weather or something. It’s fine.”

“Yeah okay. Well since you’re ‘fine’ and everything and suddenly have the night free we’re going out. Just for a walk.”

Chloe bit her lip and glanced back up at Beca who was giving her that look that said she didn’t believe for one second that Chloe was actually feeling ill. Her brow quirked up and she gestured to the thick tome. “But I’m studying this very interesting chapter on…” She had to glance back to reread the title “Toxicology.”

“Hm yeah sounds like a hoot.” Beca moved up to her side and shut the book, firmly pushing it away from Chloe. “C’mon Beale, come out with me. I’ll spring for knishes at Schimmel’s…tempt tempt tempt….”

“Beca Mitchell…you sure do know the way to a girl’s heart.” Beca grinned and poked at her belly playfully. As if on cue it growled and they both laughed. “Okay you win. I’ll go out with you.”

It was a sweet gesture and she was so grateful for the company to at least get her out of her own head. Chloe grabbed her ID and her last five dollars and shoved them into her pocket. Money was getting thin and she was going to have to pick up another shift at the shelter if she could. When she turned around Beca was holding up her jacket waiting for her to shrug into it.

“Got everything? Cellphone, ID, apartment key?”

Chloe gave a nod and thumbs up. “Check, check and check.” Beca grinned and opened the door for her with a flourish that made her giggle. They took the stairs down in companionable silence and even made it about a block before Chloe broke the silence. “So how was your day? Did you get to rub elbows with someone famous?”

Beca laughed and it lit up her eyes in a way that always made Chloe’s belly do a little flip flop. They weren’t like that, a couple or whatever, not for lack of desire on her part. First there was Jesse and then work and her school, their living situation, or the fact that the sky was blue…something always came between them no matter how arbitrary. But at least they had something solid and real in their friendship and that brought Chloe a lot of comfort especially on the hard days.

“I wouldn’t say famous exactly. YouTube famous maybe. Dude is a total douche, he has this song and I just…it’s the worst. I don’t even know how I’m going to fix it.” Beca pulled out her phone and handed Chloe one of the earbuds while she cued up the track. Chloe placed it in her ear just as the song started and she wanted to like it, if only because it was a project Beca was working on but her friend had been right. It was terrible.

“Wow that is a flaming turd of a song.”

“He’s a flaming turd of an artist. Today was not my best but…I feel better now than I have all day.”

She handed the earbud back and tucked her hands into her back pockets, smiling at their unhurried pace and the light vibe between them. It did her a world of good and she felt her spirits lift immeasurably. Chloe shifted her weight and bumped Beca’s shoulder with her own. “Thanks for this. I was feeling a little overwhelmed myself today and this was just the right thing to get me out of my funk.”

Beca took a breath and nodded. “I could see that. I’m pretty fluent in Chloe these days.” They stopped in front of Schimmel’s and Beca opened the door for her. It was just habit, she knew, but it was a habit of Beca’s that she appreciated none the less.

“So I’m complicated like a different language?” She laughed at it but trailed off when Beca took her hand and tugged playfully leading her to the line in front of the counter just inside the door. Her heart skipped a beat when Beca didn’t let go of her hand immediately like she usually did.

“That’s…not at all what I mean. You’re different Chloe. So different from everyone I’ve ever met and it took me a minute to understand why.” Beca smiled at her and maybe it was a trick of the light, or maybe she was just in a warm comforted haze of knishes and laced fingers but the look Beca was giving her seemed somehow more intimate than every other time they’d gazed at each other. “You’re unselfish and caring and everyone else is basically a shitbag in comparison.”

Her laugh bubbled out and she rolled her eyes. “I’m plenty selfish when I want to be Beca.”

“No…you’re really not. I’ve learned a lot from you over the past few years Beale. I learned that vulnerability doesn’t mean weakness, that hope doesn’t mean naiveté and that sometimes the best way to be better is to do better.” Beca took a breath and turned back to the counter when they got to the front of the line. “Hi a dozen sweet potato knishes and two chocolate egg creams, thanks.”

“Beca…” It was the sweetest thing she’d ever heard Beca say and it meant the world to her.

Beca released her hand so she could pull out her wallet and bank card but the second the transaction was over she took Chloe’s hand in hers again and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You know what makes me feel better? Dumping all over everyone that ever tries to get close. Because if I’m miserable no one should be any luckier. You know what you do to feel better? You buy the dry cleaner lady flowers, or spend all morning picking out fruit to make a basket with and give it to your dentist, or babysit those horrible horrible children from upstairs so Mrs. Rodriguez can take an extra shift. And it should totally make you feel worse but it makes you feel better. I’m not there yet. I can’t just…do what you do. All those random acts of kindness just aren’t so natural to someone like me. But I’m learning because I love that about you, Chlo. And I wanna be that kind of person too I figure if I can learn how to do that then one day…” She gave a shrug and reached out to grab their drinks.

Chloe held her breath, tears stung her eyes and she blinked a few times to keep them from falling. “Then one day what?” It was almost too quiet to be heard over the casual conversation of people sitting at the tables and the ring of the register as the person behind them ordered and paid. It seemed forever before Beca grabbed their box of tasty treats and gestured to the door.

They exited the bakery and Chloe assumed that Beca really hadn’t heard her because she remained silent most of the way home. “Then one day I’d be good enough for you.”

Chloe’s heart stuttered to a stop along with her feet. The sounds of the city around them faded and for a second all she could hear was the echo of Beca’s words. “Y-you think I don’t think you’re good enough for me?”

“No. I _know_ I’m not. Yet. But…I dunno. I mean. I really wanna spend the rest of my life trying to be…even if this is all we ever are I just…want to be better. Because of you.”

This had taken a quick turn from taking a walk and catching a snack to…whatever this was. Chloe was still trying to process everything and felt a little unsure of exactly what was happening. Beca turned but wasn’t looking at her fully, her gaze flicking between Chloe’s face and the passing cars on the street.

“What are you saying Beca?”

The smaller woman’s shoulders rolled and she finally raised her eyes to meet Chloe’s. “I wanna be with you, good days and bad. I want to be the person you deserve in your life. And I’m realizing this was a totally weird long drawn out way of asking you to be my girlfriend because I’m stupid in love with you and I probably could learn better tim…”

Chloe stopped listening after ‘stupid in love with you’ and pulled Beca against her chest for a long overdue if slightly desperate kiss. The shock of it melted into the familiar comforting warmth of all things Beca Mitchell and Chloe felt the weight of the world melt off her shoulders.

“You’re perfect for me Becs, just the way you are.” Hard days or not at least they’d have each other to make things better.


End file.
